9 Foods to Avoid or Limit if You Have Ovarian Cancer

• Cook seafood to at least 145 degrees F.
• Cook red meat to at least 145 degrees F, and let it rest for three minutes before eating.
• Cook eggs until both the yolk and white are firm, and cook dishes containing raw eggs to at least 160 degrees F.

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• Cook poultry, casseroles, and leftovers to at least 165 degrees F.

Tierney also recommends avoiding prepared meat, egg, and seafood salads from deli counters, since those prepared foods may carry bacteria, such as listeria. To stay safe, heat deli meat and hot dogs until steaming before eating, and refrigerate leftovers promptly and use them within three to four days, she adds.

• Wash your hands with soap and water before and after preparing food.
• Rinse produce thoroughly under running water, even if you will not eat the peel or rind, because cutting through the surface can still carry bacteria to the inside, says McLean.
• Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.
• Choose packaged greens labeled “prewashed” or “ready to eat,” and rinse them under running water at home.
• Don’t wash produce with soap, bleach, or commercial produce washes.

If you can’t safely wash fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen or canned options are convenient alternatives, McLean says.

• Raw vegetables
• Corn
• Nuts and seeds
• Dried fruit
• Fruit and vegetable skins

While limiting fiber, choose easier-to-digest options such as well-cooked peeled vegetables, canned fruit in juice, smooth nut butters, blended soups, and strained smoothies, Tierney says.

Bear in mind that fiber restriction doesn’t apply to everyone with ovarian cancer, and it should not continue longer than needed. When your care team says it’s safe to do so, Tierney recommends adding one high-fiber food at a time, waiting a few days to see how your body responds before adding another, and drinking plenty of fluids.

Eggnog also needs a label check because some varieties may contain unpasteurized milk or raw eggs, says Tierney. Choose commercially prepared pasteurized eggnog, or use pasteurized milk and eggs if making it at home.

Not all PARP inhibitors or other medications interact with grapefruit, so ask your oncology team about whether these foods are a concern for your treatment plan.

Navel and Valencia oranges, mandarins, clementines, and standard orange juice don’t have the same effect and are usually good alternatives if you can tolerate them, Tierney says. Check ingredient lists carefully because grapefruit may be included in citrus juice blends, flavored sparkling waters, marmalades, and cocktail mixers without being highlighted on the front of the package, she adds.

“Instead, try reaching for water, sparkling water, or low-calorie sodas and juices, or flavor water naturally with fresh fruit,” Holley says. Make sure to follow safe food handling practices if you’re preparing your own flavored water.

Still, if you’re losing weight or struggling to eat, a sweetened smoothie, milkshake, or oral nutrition supplement can provide needed calories when you’re unable to tolerate much else, says Tierney. In that situation, maintaining your weight and strength is a higher priority than limiting added sugar. And when possible, choose an option that also provides protein.

Once you’ve completed ovarian cancer treatment, it’s still important to limit sugar-sweetened beverages and heavily sweetened foods to help with weight management, blood sugar control, and long-term heart health, Tierney says.

This doesn’t mean you should avoid all sources of fat, which can provide much-needed calories, especially if you’re losing weight, says Tierney. The concern is usually fried foods and large, fatty meals rather than fat itself.

“There’s technically no safe level of alcohol to consume,” says Holley, and it’s recommended to avoid it during active treatment.

For an alternative to alcoholic beverages, try sparkling water with citrus, herbs, or muddled fruit; a spritzer; or a mocktail, Holley says. If you’ve been told to avoid alcohol completely, check labels carefully. Some kombuchas contain more than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume, and dealcoholized wines may still contain small amounts, says Tierney.

When trying to increase your protein intake, be mindful of convenient sources that may be problematic and carry food-safety concerns.

That said, if you’re losing weight, having trouble getting enough nutrients, or struggling to tolerate other foods, getting enough calories and protein matters more than avoiding any one food, says McLean. In this case, eating something you can tolerate — while still following any food-safety precautions from your care team — may be better than skipping a meal.

If you’re unsure what to eat, ask for a referral to an oncology dietitian who can work with you to find high-calorie, protein-rich appealing foods while meeting food-safety recommendations.